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hylian_narwhal's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicide, Cancer, Body horror, and Grief
Moderate: Alcoholism and Addiction
jhbandcats's review against another edition
dark
funny
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I just finished Rachel Joyce’s Miss Benson’s Beetle for the second time; I think that book is just delightful. Someone in my book group mentioned the Harold Fry book so I decided I’d read it next. I was really disappointed.
Miss Benson’s Beetle has cute and quirky characters - fairly annoying but basically lovable - who really enliven the story. I had a hard time with The Unlikely Pilgrimage because I found the characters either dull or flat, and the story uninteresting. While there’s a sequel that deals with Queenie, it would have been nice to learn more about her here. As it is, I was left feeling I didn’t know her at all.
And the secrets revealed at the end weren’t interesting or compelling enough to have been worth the wait. I had to keep pushing myself to read this - it wasn’t a book I couldn’t wait to read after I’d set it down, and I didn’t spend my time away from the book thinking about the characters and their lives.
I’m disappointed to have been disappointed. And I won’t bother reading the sequel about Queenie. Maybe someone can just tell me what happens.
Miss Benson’s Beetle has cute and quirky characters - fairly annoying but basically lovable - who really enliven the story. I had a hard time with The Unlikely Pilgrimage because I found the characters either dull or flat, and the story uninteresting. While there’s a sequel that deals with Queenie, it would have been nice to learn more about her here. As it is, I was left feeling I didn’t know her at all.
And the secrets revealed at the end weren’t interesting or compelling enough to have been worth the wait. I had to keep pushing myself to read this - it wasn’t a book I couldn’t wait to read after I’d set it down, and I didn’t spend my time away from the book thinking about the characters and their lives.
I’m disappointed to have been disappointed. And I won’t bother reading the sequel about Queenie. Maybe someone can just tell me what happens.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Abandonment, Cancer, Grief, Alcoholism, Suicide attempt, and Terminal illness
susieleggs's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Mental illness, and Bullying
dani_2006's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, Addiction, Terminal illness, Cancer, and Suicide
beardybot's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
West Country retiree gets a letter from an old friend. She took a metaphorical bullet for him the last time they spoke, twenty years prior. She's dying of cancer.
Harold, returning his wishes via post-office, makes the uncharacteristic decision to walk to her hospice in the far North of the country. He wrestles with his own demons, and leaves his wife behind with hers. He's mostly adorable, and the read is often light-hearted, but when it isn't, it really isn't.
Harold, returning his wishes via post-office, makes the uncharacteristic decision to walk to her hospice in the far North of the country. He wrestles with his own demons, and leaves his wife behind with hers. He's mostly adorable, and the read is often light-hearted, but when it isn't, it really isn't.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, and Suicide
Minor: Emotional abuse
wilsone8's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer and Child death
rchains's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Terminal illness, and Cancer
Moderate: Alcoholism and Death
just_someone's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Even though this book is not for me, it was still a good book. It was really boring the first half and I kept falling asleep. After Harold becomes news, it started to get interesting in my opinion.
This is not my type of book at all. I would not have read this book if I didn’t need to, for school. But I have to admit, the cancer story hit close to home. And I loved the ending.
I don’t know how to feel about this book. Like I said, it’s not a book I would have picked up if I saw it at the bookstore or anywhere else. But it was sad and happy and wholesome and in general a good book.
2.5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ✨
This is not my type of book at all. I would not have read this book if I didn’t need to, for school. But I have to admit, the cancer story hit close to home. And I loved the ending.
I don’t know how to feel about this book. Like I said, it’s not a book I would have picked up if I saw it at the bookstore or anywhere else. But it was sad and happy and wholesome and in general a good book.
2.5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ✨
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer
koplomps's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Cancer, Alcoholism, Body horror, Vomit, Terminal illness, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Suicide, Animal death, Dementia, Emotional abuse, and Death of parent
hollygon's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer
Moderate: Grief and Addiction
Minor: Suicide